Where angels are
by Sayuri Ichinomiya
Summary: This is to a story I wrote after you-know-what-happend Ace. It's rather short, but I hope you enjoy it anyway. Rated T, because I don't think, children under the age of 12 will understand.


Where angels are

"I'm sorry, Ruffy…I know, I promised not to die…it wouldn't have worked otherwise…you had to survive no matter what…Pops, Grandpa Garp, mum, my friends…and you, Ruffy…I love you! Can hear me? I love you!"

But of course, he couldn't hear me. How could he possibly? Leaving my beloved younger brother behind in such a state of shock is painful, bur I simply couldn't help it. I had to rescue him…For me, he risked everything…His life…his friends, who weren't there…and, most important, his dream. For me, he would have died without becoming king of pirates first. That's just something I can't have. Abandoning someone's dreams for me is not something I'm worth of. I'm simply the son of the world's mightiest, most-feared and most-hated pirate.

I feel ascending into the heights without wanting to. I don't have time any more…My time is up; I have to go…go on. For one last moment, I'm glancing at the scene below me. On last glance upon the people I loved so much. Then I turn around. Before me, there seems to be nothing…nothing but the blue color of the sky. Next thing, the air starts shimmering as a stair seems to appear out of nowhere. I'm taking a deep breath, as I start mounting it. Even the longest journey begins with the first step.

The further I go, the more contradictory my feelings are. With every step I take, one burden falls, one dark thought, one memory. I feel save and happy. But I don't want to forget. I want to remember, the nice things at least. My life as a pirate, together with my nakama and Whitebeard, who always was like a father to me. And Ruffy…my younger brother. My beloved younger brother.

You have to forget.

I turn around. What was that?

We're here.

I look ahead. At the end of the stairs, there are two persons, a man and a woman.

Ace, you have to part with your memories of the material world.

No. I can't. They can't go for good.

But Ace, says the voice, who says forgetting has to be forever? Some time, your memory will return.

I sigh. Well then. Go away, memory. I'm taking another step forward, and another, getting quicker. I'm forcing myself to concentrate on the persons ahead of me, in order not to think of something else. Finally, I arrive at the platform on which they are standing and freeze with shock.

We're so proud of you, my father says.

"Proud? Bah! I give a crap on your pride! You know what it was like, being your son? You know what hatred I had to face? 'Roger's son? Kill him!' That was, what it was like!" I shout.

Ace, listen to me. I'm really sorry for what you were going through…

"Sorry? YOU 're saying you're SORRY? You're sorry for nothing! You were only thinking of yourself and how to make your dreams come true! You didn't care a single bit on how it would affect the persons around you!"

But you just acted the same way, Ace, Roger interrupts my yelling at him. Just imagine how much Ruffy is going to suffer from your death.

I look at him horrified but then smile. "Ruffy is old and smart enough to understand. I was only a child, a baby, precisely it started when I wasn't even born yet and I had no-one!"

Please…don't fight…the woman next to my father begs.

I turn to her. She smiles at me, then draws nearer and touches my face with her hands.

You look so grown - up, Ace…, she whispers. Tears spring to her eyes. Roger lays his arm around her, trying to comfort her. "Mo-mother…" is everything I'm able to say.

My son…I'm so glad, I'm finally able to talk to you…I couldn't be more sorry for having to leave you. I so badly wanted to see you grow up, but it turned out I wasn't meant to…the most important thing was to give you a chance to live…

Now, we're both crying. "Oh, mom!" I mumble and hug her fiercely. After a short span of time, Roger interrupts our sobbing:

Let's go. It's time.

He lays an arm around my mother's shoulder and tries to do the same with me, but I refuse: "Don't touch me. We're not yet done with fighting." I take my mom's right hand and together we go to a place where angles are.


End file.
